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Cessna 750 flight crew were forgotten by ARTCC controller in handoff to approach control during descent resulting in vectors to lose altitude near their destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 520763 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200108 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : aml.vor |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Citation X |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 750 |
| ASRS Report | 520763 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Intra Facility Coordination Failure Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
We were on center frequency and acknowledged a descent to 17000 ft. After several mins we observed the traffic we had been following (and slowed to 310 KTS earlier for) descending on our TCASII. As we neared the position at which the traffic ahead had begun its descent (approximately 50 mi northeast of aml VOR) we ask center (frequency 132.05) for a descent. ATC advised us to return to our last frequency. I replied 'we never switched frequencys,' we were still on the frequency in which we checked on, and then were given a descent to 17000 ft from FL310. The controller seemed confused and asked our position. I replied '30 DME on the 015 degree radial from aml VOR.' after several mins I asked if ATC would like us to contact iad approach. ATC then asked if we were landing iad, I acknowledged yes. We finally were handed off to the appropriate frequency and after lengthy vectors over iad made an uneventful landing. I think we had initially checked onto center frequency of 132.05 and a different controller acknowledged us. I believe shortly after the original controller was replaced by another controller, and we were overlooked by the second controller. If this were the case I think the handoff procedures for ATC controllers would be a factor in this situation. I think a breakdown in communication happened due to a new controller took over and thought the first controller had handed us off to the next. However, we were never given another frequency to contact, until the flight crew asked for a lower altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CESSNA 750 FLC WERE FORGOTTEN BY ARTCC CTLR IN HDOF TO APCH CTL DURING DSCNT RESULTING IN VECTORS TO LOSE ALT NEAR THEIR DEST.
Narrative: WE WERE ON CTR FREQ AND ACKNOWLEDGED A DSCNT TO 17000 FT. AFTER SEVERAL MINS WE OBSERVED THE TFC WE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING (AND SLOWED TO 310 KTS EARLIER FOR) DSNDING ON OUR TCASII. AS WE NEARED THE POS AT WHICH THE TFC AHEAD HAD BEGUN ITS DSCNT (APPROX 50 MI NE OF AML VOR) WE ASK CTR (FREQ 132.05) FOR A DSCNT. ATC ADVISED US TO RETURN TO OUR LAST FREQ. I REPLIED 'WE NEVER SWITCHED FREQS,' WE WERE STILL ON THE FREQ IN WHICH WE CHKED ON, AND THEN WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 17000 FT FROM FL310. THE CTLR SEEMED CONFUSED AND ASKED OUR POS. I REPLIED '30 DME ON THE 015 DEG RADIAL FROM AML VOR.' AFTER SEVERAL MINS I ASKED IF ATC WOULD LIKE US TO CONTACT IAD APCH. ATC THEN ASKED IF WE WERE LNDG IAD, I ACKNOWLEDGED YES. WE FINALLY WERE HANDED OFF TO THE APPROPRIATE FREQ AND AFTER LENGTHY VECTORS OVER IAD MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I THINK WE HAD INITIALLY CHKED ONTO CTR FREQ OF 132.05 AND A DIFFERENT CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED US. I BELIEVE SHORTLY AFTER THE ORIGINAL CTLR WAS REPLACED BY ANOTHER CTLR, AND WE WERE OVERLOOKED BY THE SECOND CTLR. IF THIS WERE THE CASE I THINK THE HDOF PROCS FOR ATC CTLRS WOULD BE A FACTOR IN THIS SIT. I THINK A BREAKDOWN IN COM HAPPENED DUE TO A NEW CTLR TOOK OVER AND THOUGHT THE FIRST CTLR HAD HANDED US OFF TO THE NEXT. HOWEVER, WE WERE NEVER GIVEN ANOTHER FREQ TO CONTACT, UNTIL THE FLC ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.